Five whooping cough cases reported at Fossil Ridge

Nov. 8, 2012

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| By Coloradoan staff

Reported cases of whooping cough now number five at Fossil Ridge High School, according to an email sent to parents Thursday by the school’s office manager.

Several Poudre School District students have been diagnosed with whooping cough during the past couple of months. The highly contagious infection, also known as pertussis, is spreading rapidly nationwide, with Colorado cases reported since Jan. 1 exceeding 1,000, according to recent state data.

Larimer County’s total since the start of the year is 57. The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment doesn’t track totals by school, spokeswoman Jane Viste said.

Those who are diagnosed with pertussis are treated with antibiotics and asked to stay home for at least five days to minimize risk of spreading the infection.

People should consult with their health-care providers or the Larimer County Department of Health and Environment to ensure family immunizations (DTaP/Tdap) are up to date.

The department holds vaccination clinics at its Fort Collins office at 1525 Blue Spruce Drive. Those with questions should call (970) 498-6700 or visit http://1.usa.gov/QGC3LP.